


Being A Ghost Means Never Having To Say Goodbye

by Rosencrantz



Series: Ghost Stories - Fandom [9]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Gen, Trick or Treat: Treat, bonus chapter: original draft, fluff (in the bonus chapter), playing with pokemon lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2019-01-18 17:57:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12393213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosencrantz/pseuds/Rosencrantz
Summary: You make a bargain when you're a ghost trainer. (150 words)-ALSO-A bonus chapter! 1k of a fluffy Night at the Nacrene Museum story of guard Jolene and her pumpkaboo Pumpum as they face a mystery.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [spoke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoke/gifts).



> Thank you to Ann, Vali, and Rain for their beta jobs!
> 
> Originally this was a much longer story about a guard having adventures with ghosts in a museum. Unfortunately it ended up bearing too much resemblance to an episode of the series, so I tried again and gave you the ghost story you see below.
> 
> But I thought you might like to see the original so I've included it too!

Ghost trainers are not ordinary trainers. No ordinary trainer would risk their soul to win a battle.

June was no ordinary trainer. She'd fought battle after battle with her Honedge, which became her Doublade. By the time she was old and broken, there was almost nothing left inside of her. Her life had been eaten up by her pokemon. 

Near the end, she was trying to find her way home. But she didn't remember things as well as she used to. Finally, seeing she was lost with no strength to go on, her Doublade did the only think it could think to do. Gently, on both blades, it carried her. Through the air they flew until reaching a pumpkin patch, where Doublade laid her down carefully.

Her body went still.

Glowing eyes opened on a dark-vined pumpkin. A Pumpkaboo was born.

The Doublade and its newly reborn master flew off into the night to battle again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are afoot at the Nacrene City Museum and night guard Jolene and her trusty pumpkaboo Pumpum are on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter!
> 
> This was the original story for you and I hope you enjoy it until it abruptly cuts off at the silliest joke ever.

"We're going to be LATE, Pumpum," groaned Jolene as she dug through her pumpkin patch, careful not to get dirt on her security guard uniform. Sure, it had seemed like a fun garden project, but her pumpkaboo was enjoying having a bunch of lookalikes growing in the backyard way too much.

There, to the side, a glow! She shoved her hand in the patch and pulled out Pumpum, its eyes glowing.

"Naughty," she said.

"Booo," said Pumpum.

She tucked the little gourd pokemon under one arm and ran to her bike. She put Pumpum in the front basket and took off as fast as she could to get to her job at the Nacrene City Museum. Pumpum immediately flew out of its basket and floated along beside her shoulder, putting its eye lights to full brightness to light their way to work.

***

"Miss me, big boy?" said Jolene to the dragonite skeleton as she began her first nightly walk through. The skeleton did not respond.

"Playing it cool and casual, I get you," said Jolene. Pumpum floated beside her, adding its light to her flashlight's. The museum was hosting traveling exhibits from Kalos and Desert Dig here in Unova, which meant lots of new unfamiliar shapes in the darkness. Swords, masks, and suits of armour made for a startling night's journey. Especially when you had a pokemon that liked to leap out from behind things.

Sometimes Jolene wondered if she should have accepted the former guard's offer to hook her up with a Poochyena or a Growlithe. Even if Pumpum was her forever partner.

Passing by a display mirror - from the 12th century, apparently - Pumpum cuddled up to her head. 

"Booooo," it said.

"Yes, my hair's the same colour as you, I've noticed," she said and petted the pokemon.

"Booo?" said Pumpum.

She looked back and the mirror and _then_ saw what Pumpum was getting at. There was something moving behind them. 

She whipped around, flashlight out. "Who's there!" 

Nothing. It was like nothing had moved.

"Eyes and lights out, Pumpum," she muttered. "No one's stealing our artifacts on **our** watch."

"Boo!" said Pumpum, lighting up the room.

Whatever had been moving in it was holding very still now - or was never there at all - because all Pumpum lit up was a display of ancient Kalos armour. Jolene went to take a closer look, just in case. All the pieces were where they should be. The queen's royal armour was placed in a dramatic pose, sword held aloft. 

Jolene winked at Pumpum and imitated the pose, flashlight held high. "It is I, the true queen of Kalos!" 

The air dropped several degrees in temperature.

"Boo!" said Pumpum warningly, eyes lighting up even more.

Jolene whipped around, trying to see everything at once. "Do you think the assistant director's new weird ice vulpix snuck in…?"

Pumpum flew off to investigate the corners while Jolene investigated around the armour. Seemed in place. Matched its photo. It was so cold around it. She carefully examined the shadows for any small lost ice pokemon, brushing away the ribbons on the handle of a sword to see properly.

Pumpum returned, shaking its whole body 'no' for its lack of success.

The rest of the night was uneventful, except somehow her coffee mug ended up on the other side of the breakroom, upside down. Pumpum claimed innocence. Or booed her a lot and then flashed lights everywhere. It was sometimes hard to tell with Pumpkaboo.

***

After her shift ended and she got one hour of sleep, she was woken up with a call to come in early. She brushed her hair as best she could in a few minutes, slapped on a hat in the end, and biked at high speed with a sleepy Pumpum in the bike's basket.

"Jolene," said Lenora, in an alarmingly non-accusing neutral tone, "what happened last night?"

Jolene looked up at the impressive gym leader and director of the Nacrene City Museum and Gym, and blinked. She hugged Pumpum to her chest.

"I think Mr. Hawes' vulpix escaped into the exhibits? But I couldn't find it," said Jolene.

Lenora frowned. Deeply. She gestured for Jolene to come inside. They walked past the exhibits and to the library where… every book had been flung off the shelves. **Every** book. There wasn't a single shelf with a book on it.

"Oh my gosh," said Jolene.

"You didn't see or hear any of this?" said Lenora.

"I swear everything was in place when I left!" 

"Hello, ladies, seems like you have ghost pokemon troubles," said a male voice to join the arms that suddenly draped over Jolene and Lenora's shoulders. They were attached to a smug trainer in classic psychic clothes.

"Jak!" said a girl behind them. Jolene slipped out of Jak's touch to get a look. There was a girl with long messy hair everywhere and a choppy-edged dress. Definitely a trainer with something spooky. 

"Aw, doll, I'm just being friendly," said Jak. "Besides, this is our thing!"

She frowned. Right at Jolene. 

Jolene yawned.

"Boo," yawned Pumpum.

"You know that contains someone's soul," said the girl in a dark proclamation.

"Well. Ghost pokemon…" said Jolene.

"Which is what's causing all your trouble here!" said Jak. "And I'm here to stop it. And then, of course, win the Basic badge."

"Will you, now," said Lenora. "Jolene, go home and get some sleep. Me and my assistants have a long day ahead of us fixing the library. Tonight I want you to catch our little ghosts, hm?"

Jolene yawned and nodded, heading home, dodging the looks from the two odd trainers.

***

They were waiting at the entrance when she came that night in uniform.

"Museum's closed," said Jolene.

"Not for ghost hunters. I have signed permission," said Jak, holding out the paper. He tried to put it in Jolene's hand. Jolene pulled her hand back.

The wild-haired trainer just looked at her.

Jolene gave her a weak 'friends?' smile and reluctantly let the trainers in.

Jak strode on ahead, bragging about how he was going to catch the ghost - perhaps even a HUMAN'S ghost to be exorcised and wouldn't Jolene be impressed - and the girl leaned up close to Jolene.

"Please, Jolene, I'm begging of you please don't take my man," she whispered.


End file.
